Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.
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Roosevelt Jr. in 1945
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| Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | |
| In office May 26, 1965 – May 11, 1966 |
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| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Stephen N. Shulman |
| United States Under Secretary of Commerce | |
| In office March 26, 1963 – May 16, 1965 |
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| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Edward Gudeman |
| Succeeded by | LeRoy Collins |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 20th district |
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| In office May 17, 1949 – January 3, 1955 |
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| Preceded by | Sol Bloom |
| Succeeded by | Irwin D. Davidson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.
August 17, 1914 Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | August 17, 1988 (aged 74) Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal |
| Spouses |
Ethel du Pont
(m. 1937; div. 1949)Suzanne Perrin
(m. 1949; div. 1970)Felicia Schiff Warburg Sarnoff
(m. 1970; div. 1976)Patricia Luisa Oakes
(m. 1977; div. 1981)Linda McKay Stevenson Weicker
(m. 1984) |
| Children |
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| Parents | |
| Relatives | Roosevelt family |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (AB) University of Virginia (LLB) |
| Profession |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1938–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant commander |
| Commands | USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart |
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. (born August 17, 1914 – died August 17, 1988) was an American lawyer, politician, and businessman. He was the son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
He served as a United States congressman for New York from 1949 to 1955. Later, President John F. Kennedy appointed him United States Under Secretary of Commerce in 1963. He also became the first chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1965 to 1966 under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Roosevelt Jr. was also an officer in the United States Navy during World War II.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. was born on August 17, 1914. He was the fifth of six children of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. At the time, his father was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He was born at his parents' summer home on Campobello Island, Canada. This place is now an international historical park.
His older siblings were Anna Eleanor Roosevelt and James Roosevelt II. He also had a brother named Franklin who died as a baby. His younger siblings were Elliott Roosevelt and John Aspinwall Roosevelt II.
In 1936, when he was a young man, Franklin Jr. got a serious throat infection. Doctors treated him with a new medicine called Prontosil. This medicine saved his life and helped start the age of antibiotics in the United States.
Education and Personality
Franklin Jr. went to Groton School and graduated in 1933. He then studied at Harvard University, getting his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1937. He later earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1940.
Many in his family thought Franklin Jr. looked and acted most like his famous father. His brother James said that Franklin Jr. had his father's looks, voice, smile, and charm.
Franklin Jr. joined the United States Navy Reserve in June 1940. He was a junior officer during World War II and was honored for his bravery.
World War II Service
His father, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, asked him to attend important meetings. He went to the Argentia (Atlantic Charter) summit with Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1941. He also attended the Casablanca Conference in 1943 with his brother Elliott Roosevelt.
Franklin Jr. was an executive officer on the destroyer USS Mayrant (DD-402). This ship was bombed during the invasion of Sicily. He was very brave during this attack. He earned the Silver Star Medal for carrying a badly wounded sailor to safety while under fire.
He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1944. He then became the commanding officer of the destroyer escort USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442). His ship served in the Pacific War. It shot down two Japanese planes and sank a Japanese submarine. The Ulvert M. Moore was in Tokyo Bay when Japan officially surrendered in September 1945. His brother James said that the men under him called him "Big Moose" and that he did a "tremendous job."
Military Awards and Honors
Franklin Jr. received many military awards for his service:
- Silver Star
- Legion of Merit
- Bronze Star Medal
- Purple Heart
- Navy Commendation Medal
- American Defense Service Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Medal
- Philippine Liberation Medal
Career in Law and Politics
After the war, Franklin Jr. worked in several law offices in New York. He was a senior partner in a New York law firm. He also caused some debate for representing a foreign leader, but he stopped working for him before the leader's death.
Early Political Involvement
Roosevelt Jr. was involved in politics early on. He served on the President's Committee on Civil Rights in 1946 for President Harry Truman. He also joined the Sons of the American Revolution in 1946.
Serving in Congress
In 1949, Franklin Jr. was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party of New York. He was re-elected in 1950 and 1952 as a Democrat. He represented New York's 20th congressional district until 1955.
Despite his famous name, some Democratic leaders were not happy with his work in Congress. His brother James wrote that Franklin Jr. "coasted instead of working at his job." He often missed votes, which hurt his chances for higher political roles.
Running for Governor
In 1954, Roosevelt Jr. wanted to run for governor of New York. However, he was convinced to run for New York State Attorney General instead. He lost that election. After his loss, his mother, Eleanor Roosevelt, worked to remove the powerful political boss who had influenced his decision.
He tried again to become governor in 1966, running on the Liberal Party ticket. But he was defeated by the current governor, Nelson A. Rockefeller.
Working with President Kennedy
Franklin Jr. helped John F. Kennedy during his 1960 presidential campaign. Kennedy later appointed him United States Under Secretary of Commerce. He also became chairman of the President's Appalachian Regional Commission.
Franklin Jr. and Kennedy were good friends, and their families were close. He spent a lot of time at the White House when Kennedy was president. After Kennedy's death, Franklin Jr.'s political influence decreased.
He served as chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1965 to 1966. This was during the time President Lyndon B. Johnson was in office.
Business Ventures
Beyond politics, Roosevelt Jr. was also a businessman. He was a distributor for FIAT and Jaguar cars in the United States. He sold his car distribution company in 1970. He was also friends with Gianni Agnelli, the head of Fiat.
He also owned a small cattle farm and was interested in Thoroughbred racehorses. In 1983, he bred a horse named Brothers N Law.
Personal Life and Passing
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. was married five times. His first marriage was to Ethel du Pont in 1937. They had two sons, Franklin Delano Roosevelt III and Christopher du Pont Roosevelt. They divorced in 1949.
He then married Suzanne Perrin in 1949. They had two daughters, Nancy Suzanne Roosevelt and Laura Delano Roosevelt. They divorced in 1970.
His third marriage was to Felicia Schiff Warburg Sarnoff in 1970. This marriage ended in divorce in 1976.
In 1977, he married Patricia Luisa Oakes. They had one son, John Alexander Roosevelt, before divorcing in 1981.
His fifth and final marriage was to Linda McKay "Tobie" Stevenson Weicker in 1984. They remained married until his death.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. passed away on his 74th birthday, August 17, 1988. He died at a hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York, after battling lung cancer.
Images for kids
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Roosevelt Jr. in 1945
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General C. R. Smith, Elliott Roosevelt and FDR Jr. at the Casablanca Conference, 1943
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FDR Jr. with his mother and his son, FDR III, 1962
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Franklin with his first wife Ethel du Pont, September 11, 1937
